Bitter Sacrifice
by clara-linh
Summary: Jack Frost had accepted his loneliness; it was the only life he ever knew. But one day, his life was changed forever when he stumbled upon a magnificent ice palace and the woman responsible for it: Queen Elsa of Arendelle. But nothing would be easy for the two. Both of them would have to sacrifice everything if they ever wanted to be together.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

 **Welcome to Bitter Sacrifice!**

 **Thanks for taking time to click on my story and I really hope you enjoy it! Follows, favorites, and reviews (yes, even constructive criticism) would be lovely! The prologue is just setting up Jack's character, but Elsa will be introduced in chapter 1! Just a warning, I will probably not have a regular updating schedule, but I will add new chapters as soon as possible! I realize the prologue is _extremely_ short, but future chapters will be much longer. Well, without further ado...here's Bitter Sacrifice! **

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I lay floating just above the treetops; staring at the moon, and wondering why he gave me this fate. Sometimes the loneliness just becomes too much and I honestly don't want to live like this anymore. I'm not even sure that this, whatever this is, can be considered living, especially because I'm not technically alive anymore.

When I woke up after I, well, after I died, the first place I went was to find a home. Of course, at the time, I didn't know I was already dead. But it didn't take long to figure out the rules of my existence. I couldn't be seen, or heard, but I could be felt. But to everyone else, my touch is just a little tickle, or the breeze blowing against their skin; nothing more than that. And whenever I'm around, the air gets just a little chillier. I am Jack Frost, after all.

There are some perks to being Jack Frost, too. Seeing as my job is to bring winter weather, I am obviously able to create frost and snow. It's also pretty great to be able to fly. You have no idea what you're missing. Being immortal is both good and bad. You don't have to worry about dying, but it's heartbreaking to see your loved ones grow old right before your eyes. And that's about as far as the good stuff gets; the pros by far don't outweigh the cons.

Nobody ever thinks about what it's like to be Jack Frost. Nobody knows what it's like to be invisible. Sure it was fun at first, pranking my old friends and enemies, but when nobody has even seen you in nearly one hundred years, the isolation is overwhelming.


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed the prologue! As always, I would love for you to follow, favorite, and review Bitter Sacrifice! Review are much appreciated, and I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts!**

 **Well, here's the first official chapter! Hope you like it!**

 **UPDATE! After reading through the chapter again, I realized that I wasn't completely happy with the way it turned out. No major plot changes, but I went back and added a lot more of Jack's thoughts and more details in general. I also wanted to make sure that I mentioned a bit more about Jack's past. Hope you find it better!**

 **PS...I'm hoping to get chapter 2 up within the next week!**

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I sat on a snow-covered rooftop, awaiting the squeals of delight from the children as they looked outside the window. Today just felt like a snow day, and I turned that feeling into a thick layer of fine, white powder. There's no better time for snow than summer. However, as much as I would love to make it snow every day, I usually have to end up somewhere north where a little flurry isn't too unusual.

Today the wind had taken me to a small town in Norway. After examining a few different villages, I finally decided to give this particular one just a touch of winter fun; mostly because it had plenty of children to enjoy my snow.

Before the sun had even risen above the horizon, I had already begun my work. Shooting high in the clear summer air, I raised my staff, willing soft flakes to sprinkle around me. It felt so refreshing to just let it all go; releasing my powers along with all the pent-up anger that had recently been building up. Before I became a Guardian, before I had any friends to confide in, I was angry all the time. I was angry that I was invisible to the world, angry that I was forced into living this life, and most of all angry that it would never be over. To be honest, I envied humans and their mortality. _Forever is a long time_.

That anger caused me to lash out almost every other day with a raging storm. Even though I'm reluctant to admit it, North, Sandy, Tooth, and even Bunny have helped me a lot. I've been living alone for so long that it was hard adjusting to having people that were always there for me. But I still do prefer to do things on my own, which probably isn't always a good thing. I suppose I can be a little too prideful at times, though I don't like to admit it.

My frustrated feelings towards the other Guardians only turned around during Pitch Black's attack. It was then that I finally realized that I couldn't do everything on my own. Sometimes I needed someone to have my back, and sometimes I had to be there for the others.

After the danger of Pitch had passed, I finally realized that my friends could have died out there. In fact, we thought Sandy almost had. The experience can only be described as humbling. The Guardians were the closest thing I had to a family and I truly don't know what I'd do without them.

I was startled out of my thoughts with the slam of a door. I peered down the roof, and saw a little boy engulfed in layers of snow gear, collapsing in the nearest pile of snow. A smile unwillingly crept onto my face, and I let it stay there. Making children laugh was one of my favorite things to do. And honesty, it was one of the only things that could never fail to make me smile. Within an hour, almost every child on the block was running around outside, making snow castles, snow angels, and snowmen.

With a contented sigh, I lay back down on the roof. I peered at the faint outline of the moon, still standing tall in the sky.

"Moon, what am I supposed to do?" I wondered out loud. "I can't go on like this forever." As usual, he didn't answer; in fact, I would be surprised if he did.

Eventually, the children began to tire out, and I took that as my cue to move on. It was still early in the day, and there were plenty of children that I'm sure would die for a little snow. With a last touch of frost, I flew up and among the clouds, wondering where the wind would take me next. But on my descent back to Earth, something caught my eye. It was a small kingdom that I had never really paid much attention to before.

Of course in my centuries on this Earth I had paid a few visits to the kingdom here and there, but that was long ago. I couldn't even remember its name anymore. In recent years, I found myself visiting it much less, as the place seemed to already be naturally cold. It was almost like it didn't need my help to bring winter at all.

But the reason I was so focused on the kingdom was not to spread the flurry, because it seemed as if they already had one. Of course, that was an understatement. This was a full blown blizzard. Angry storm clouds circled the castle and thick sheets of snow made it hard to see what was going on.

"I don't remember doing that," I muttered to myself.

I took my time flying there, just floating along with the breeze; after all, I had all the time in the world. But as hard as I tried, I still could not remember creating that storm. It must have been me, though. After all, it doesn't snow in summer without my consent.

But the closer I got to the kingdom, the more confused I became. I hadn't made a storm this violent since Pitch. The thought immediately sparked fear to flow through my veins. It terrified me that Pitch still had this effect on me. _He was gone, dead!_ So why was I still so worried?

I quickly destroyed the idea. It's not like Pitch could control winter anyways. It was foolish to jump to such a serious conclusion.

By the time I got there, the storm had settled down and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. The kingdom, though, was a whole different story. A blanket of snow covered everything, and the castle was completely surrounded by solid ice.

"Solid ice?! I've never been able to completely freeze water before, especially this size!" I shouted at no one in particular.

I floated down to the ice to get a closer look. It was solid, but almost delicate at the same time. As I examined the soft layer of snow that coated the landscape, I realized that it looked nothing like mine. The snow from my staff was thick, and coarse; perfect for making snowballs. It had always been that way. But this, these flakes were fine, and beautiful. The way they sparkled in the sun was mesmerizing. But where did it come from?

"Man on the Moon, please! How did this happen?!"

A thought suddenly flitted across my mind. _If there's no possible way that I created this storm that means someone else must have._ But the question was who? As far as I knew, I was the only one in the world who could control snow. What if there was someone else like me? The thought both excited and terrified me at the same time.

But regardless of whether I was letting my hopes fly too high, I lifted myself into the air and let the wind carry me. However instead of the usual light feeling that came with flying, I did nothing but sink lower to the ground. Silently, I cursed the moon, and wind, and whoever else was keeping me from this person, if this even was a person. But I would not accept that this was a sign to not peruse whatever created that storm.

This was my chance, my chance to finally find someone who could understand me. I could already imagine it. I would find this person, whoever he was, and we'd be best friends. He would be someone I could joke with, play pranks with, _and have fun with_. Don't get me wrong, I loved the Guardians, but they were more of a family than anything. North and Tooth were the closest I had to a proper father and mother, and Sandy and Bunny were like brothers to me. What I really needed was a _friend._

I flew as high as I could while still being able to see my surroundings, more determined than ever to find whoever created the blizzard. But as I searched the landscape, nothing else looked out of the ordinary. Then the same tugging feeling in my stomach that caused me to see the storm clouds returned. And as I looked over my shoulder, a glint caught my eye. Without hesitation, and without knowing what I was looking for, I sped off. As I flew, I tried to work out what I had seen. It seemed as if the sun was gleaming off of the North Mountain.

As I approached the mountain, I saw nothing unusual. I had visited it many times before; it was a perfect place to get away and think. I still remember the first time I stumbled across the secluded place. It seemed like a blessing at the time. Tooth had just showed me my teeth, _my memories_. I had to watch as my baby sister froze in the middle of the lake, too terrified to do anything as the ice cracked beneath her weight. I was so shaken up by the memories that I just had to get away and think. It's a weird feeling to watch yourself die, to see the life leave your own eyes. _And this is what I get for saving my sister, an eternity of loneliness and misery._

I turned my focus back on the mountain, remembering my original mission to end that loneliness. As I slowly circled the mountain, I was shocked to find a magnificent castle standing tall against the mountain. But it wasn't any castle, it was made completely of solid ice; the same ice back at the kingdom, and it was beautiful.

In fact, I was so stunned at this new addition to the familiar mountain that I nearly fell straight out of the air. I attempted to gather my bearings as I slowly circled the castle, taking in every little detail.

"Well this is new," I whispered in awe. It wasn't often that Jack Frost was rendered speechless, but this was one of those rare incidences. I drifted to the ground in amazement. _Is this sort of thing even possible?_

It felt wrong to intrude by flying up to the balcony, so I went for the more traditional way: the door. It had been ages since I last felt the need to actually be polite, after all, it's not like people knew I was there anyways. But this felt different; the castle's imposing presence almost made me feel nervous, like I had to behave.

As I stood at the base of the long staircase that led to the front door, I tried not to let my hopes get out of control. This day had the potential to change my life forever. But, it also had the potential to ruin my dreams of ever being truly understood. I even considered turning away now and going back to North's workshop in hopes of forgetting the castle altogether. The twisted feeling in the pit of my stomach just reinforced that idea, telling me that this adventure would only end with disappointment. But in the end, my curiosity got the best of me. I took a deep breath, and stepped forward.

Although made of ice, I made my way up the steps with ease. After so many years, my bare feet had gotten used to the cold. The feeling had become almost comforting. By the time I reached the grand entrance, I was a bundle of nerves. It was the first time in forever that I had been truly nervous. Even in our battle with Pitch, I never had that gnawing feeling of uncertainty. But I finally mustered up the courage to pull open the doors. They were surprisingly light, and glided over the ice floors silently and smoothly.

I swiftly entered the castle, glancing around as if I was a child entering a forbidden sweet shop. But as I looked around, I immediately fell in love with the place. Nearly everything was made of solid ice, with the exception of a few pieces of sturdy, dark oak furniture. Everything was crafted so beautifully. I carefully circled around the room on foot, not trusting my flight at the moment. As I took everything in, I greedily dragged my fingertips along the smooth ice of the castle interior, relishing the cool feeling.

There were so many details that you wouldn't notice unless you took the time to actually stop and look. Tiny, intricate snowflakes lined each doorframe, and beautiful icicles hung from the ceiling. But my favorite part was the delicate frost-like patterns that gracefully swirled around the windowpanes; completely covering the glass, but so delicate that you could barely even tell it was there.

"Who made this?" I wondered aloud, still in awe of what was in front of me.

"Me," said a defiant voice from above me. I suddenly froze, having been so engrossed in the artistry of the place that I hadn't even realized someone else had entered the room. How would this person react to the unwelcome guest that they suddenly found in their home? I gulped as I realized that I personally would not take kindly to intruders. I could only hope that this person would be more forgiving.

At an agonizingly slow rate, I peeled my eyes away from the frost lined windows and turned to find the source of the voice. The simple movement took more strength than it should have, considering I only had to turn my head to the side. But none the less, it took all my effort to face the person that would either make or break my dreams.

At the top of a staircase stood a young woman with her arms crossed over her chest. Her lips were pulled into a tight frown, and her piercing glare was directed right at me. But despite the angry scowl that was settled on her face, it wasn't hard to notice that she was beautiful. I didn't really know who or what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't her. At a loss for words, I just continued staring, trying to figure out exactly what was happening.

She had fair skin, almost the color of snow, and a tight, icy blue gown on. A long veil trailed behind her, laced with snowflakes. _Almost like frost._ Her platinum blonde hair was pulled back into a thick braid that sat over her shoulder, as lose pieces of hair framed her fair face. And I couldn't help but notice the way the delicate flakes that were scattered through her braid glinted in the light.

"You're a girl," I said in wonder. The statement had just slipped out of my mouth before I had the chance to take it back. As an invisible spirit, I had never needed to have a filter for my words. Nobody could ever hear me, so didn't need to worry about anything I said.

"What?!" She exclaimed in surprise. Perhaps I had been just a bit too blunt. But she quickly brushed the comment off and narrowed her eyes, as if trying to figure me out.

"Who are you?" are finally asked after a long, uncomfortable silence.

But without waiting for an answer, she huffed loudly and stormed away. The quick clicking of her shoes against the solid ice became muffled as she made her escape.

I stood there, at the base of a grand ice staircase, completely dumbfounded.

It was only after she left that I realized she had looked straight at me, and spoken directly to me. I searched all around me, looking for someone else that she could've been talking to. I even craned my neck around, bracing myself for the person that was standing directly behind me, the person that she was actually talking to. I had been disappointed one too many times by this exact situation: being seen and spoken to, but only to realize that I had been seen and spoken _through._

But as a turned around, I realized the room was empty. Had the person left already when I wasn't paying attention? Or could it be possible that she was talking to me? _Could she have actually seen me?_

Suddenly, the realization of what was happening hit me like a brick. I was letting the first person who believed in me get away, and I wasn't doing anything to stop her.

"Wait! Please! I need to talk to you!" I called after her. However, all I heard was a muffled yell from above me. In theory, all I had to do was follow her voice, but it was harder said than done.

While the castle's interior was beautiful, it was also extraordinarily complicated. There were so many hallways and staircases; there was just too much space to hide. Once her voice stopped giving me clues to her whereabouts, I became desperately lost in the maze of the ice palace.

Finally, the noise came back, allowing me to gain at least some sense of direction. In the middle of my search I paused, realizing that the woman's angry yells had turned to cries. But because of the way the sound bounced off icy walls, it gave the impression that her strained sobs were coming from all directions. It only made me want to find her more, to know what caused so much sadness.

But the longer I wandered around the empty castle, the more frustrated I became. It was like the entire world was against me, trying to prevent me from seeing this woman ever again. The thought angered me so much that my own cries nearly joined hers.

When I took a moment to think back on our first encounter, it was obvious that she had no interest in seeing me ever again, if she even saw me in the first place. But I continued to pursue her, because I needed to know if I really wasn't invisible to her. And if it turns out she couldn't see me after all, then I had nothing to lose. It's not like she would know that I had been chasing after her anyways.

After much searching, I finally found the doors that she was hiding behind. I debated whether or not to knock, but eventually settled on just cracking the door open. I stuck my head through the small gap that the open door gave me and looked around what seemed to be a large bedroom.

The room was at the very top of the castle, just under the tip, where each panel of the roof joined together. For being such a large room, it was sparsely decorated. There was a wide bed with midnight blue sheet pushed against one wall. On the other side of the room, there were a few chairs scattered around a bookshelf. Next to the shelf was an intricate fireplace, all made of ice of course. _Hmm…interesting choice._ What really grabbed my attention though was the grand balcony, with its doors wide open, allowing me to see the snow covered landscape beyond.

Finally, my eyes settled on the figure standing beside the open doors that led to the balcony. Her back was turned towards me, and she seemed to be focused on something in the distance.

"Hello?" I whispered. Her blonde head, having not heard me enter the room, whipped around. As our gazes met, I couldn't help but notice the flash of fear that danced across her bright blue eyes. But she quickly composed herself, allowing her signature scowl to settle back on her face.

"What are you doing here," she growled at me. "I thought I told you to leave."

I paused, trying to find the right words. "Are you talking to me?" I asked slowly, preparing myself for the inevitable disappointment.

"No, I'm talking the wall," she said, her words dripping with sarcasm. "Of course I'm talking to you." She rolled her eyes at me before turning back to the surrounding white hills, probably assuming that the conversation was over, and that she had won.

"Wow," was the only coherent thought that I could make. She had seen me. _She had seen me!_ I had been so worried that she wouldn't, so ready for the crushing disappointment, that I was completely unprepared when the opposite happened. _What do I do now?!_ She obviously still hated me and she clearly wanted me to leave, but I couldn't let that happen. Not now that I was believed in.

"Look, I'm really sorry but this isn't a good time. Now I would _really_ appreciate it if you would just leave me alone," she said through gritted teeth, obviously trying to remain calm as she realized that I hadn't moved. I was surprised that she hasn't resorted to physically throwing me out yet. After all I did just burst into her bedroom completely uninvited.

"Please, just at least tell me who you are," I begged, trying to get any information I could before I was forced to leave.

She looked me up and down, as if trying to decide whether to trust me or not. I suddenly became very self-conscious. Considering nobody could actually see me, I had never cared at all what I looked like. As heat crept up my usually cool neck, I couldn't help but worry that my clothes were too baggy, or that my hair stuck up just a bit too much. Compared to her neat and poised manner, I must look like I'd come straight from the streets.

"Elsa," she finally replied with clear hesitation. "You?"

"Jack Frost," I told her after clearing my throat, not quite trusting my voice anymore. I had never been so unsure of myself, doubting everything that I had come to accept about who I was.

"Pleasure to meet you Miss Elsa," I eventually replied, while holding out my hand for her to take. After staring at it for a while, she finally placed her small hand in my own.

I had planned to simply shake it, but on an impulse I knelt down and lightly pressed my lips to her knuckles. _Was I being too creepy?_ I looked up to see her reaction. A rosy blush already painted cheeks, and I just barely caught the small smirk playing on her lips. But just as quickly as it appeared, it was replaced with a tight frown again.

"Well Jack, I really insist that you must leave now," she said calmly, stiffening her back until she stood straight. Her perfect posture gave Elsa an important air, telling me that she was the one in control of the situation.

"Promise me I can come back?" I asked hopefully, knowing that I had far overstayed my welcome.

She raised her eyebrows at me, her face pulled into an incredulous look. She then lightly rolled her eyes, but slowly said, "I'll consider it."

 _Wait. Did she just say that she'll consider it?!_ To be honest, I was expecting an immediate 'no' and a door slammed in my face. Even her simple hesitation surprised me because it meant that she was actually thinking about it.

"I'll take that as a yes," I replied, feeling more confident. But even though my lips were pulled into a smug smirk, my eyes still held caution and even a touch of fear. This had never happened before.

I turned to leave, finally leaving Elsa to her own thoughts. But before I stepped out of her room, I made sure to glance back, making sure that she was indeed real and I wasn't just losing my mind. And full of hope, I finally left the ice palace behind me. Though I still don't know why anyone would voluntarily be left to their own solitude.

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 **A/N: Well Jack and Elsa finally met! Hope you liked it! CH 2 will be up soon...**


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's note: So it's been a long time...but chapter 2 is finally up! I really have no excuses so I'm not even going to try, but I will say that I'm sorry it's taken so long.** **I still hope you enjoy it, though!**

 **Please follow, favorite, and review to let me know how I'm doing! (All reviews are appreciated!) Anyways, here's chapter 2...**

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That whole night I couldn't sleep. But, how could I? Someone had seen me, talked to me even! While I waited for day to break, paranoia ate me alive. Something in the back of my head kept telling me that Elsa was just a fragment of my imagination; that I dreamed her up, and her magical ice castle, so that I wouldn't be so lonely.

Throughout that night I continually flew back to the North Mountain, positive that this time it would be bare. But whenever I peeked around, the castle was always there, standing tall under the twinkling stars.

The moon couldn't go away soon enough. I kept willing it to sink under the horizon to give the sun a chance to shine. Though Elsa never actually said, I figured it would be acceptable visit to the next morning. Of course, if I had it my way, I would have never left.

Not wanting to seem too eager, I forced myself to wait until late morning before I made my way back to her castle.

Just as I had done so many times that night, I floated on the wind to the North Mountain. As the castle came into view I decided that, since we were acquainted yesterday, I no longer needed to use the door.

I dropped down onto the balcony with a soft thud. Instead of the ice freezing my bare feet, the familiar coolness was a much needed comfort. Even though I was very much dead, the nerves and anticipation of seeing her again made me feel more alive than ever.

I quietly walked into her room, and if she knew I was there, she didn't acknowledge it.

As I watched her, I noticed how different she looked from last night. Her dress, though roughly the same color, was much more sophisticated and reserved. It was cut straight down, and the hem just barely brushed the floor. And instead of the lose braid, she was in the process of pulling her hair into a tight bun on the back of her head.

"What happened to last night's flashy number, huh? You know the tight one with the sparkles and snowflakes?" I said with a smirk, obviously startling her.

After getting over the initial shock she replied, "That was, uh, sort of an impulse. Kind of a onetime thing," she said, quickly turning around to hide her beat red cheeks.

"Well it was certainly better than this," I replied, gesturing to her plain outfit, but almost immediately regretting the comment. She didn't seem to appreciate the joke, and I quickly realized that I'd have to watch my mouth if I wanted to stay.

"I don't care what you think," she huffed. "I don't even know why you're here."

"Remember, you told me I could come back," a huge grin broke my face as I recalled that particular moment.

"No, I said that I'd consider it. And after consideration, I've decided that it would be best if you'd leave me alone," she corrected me.

Suddenly aware that the morning was not going at all to plan, I desperately blurted, "I won't bother you, I promise!"

"I highly doubt that you won't be annoying," already beginning to turn away from me and continue on with her day.

"Hey, that hurt!" I joked, trying anything to change her sour mood. "But please Elsa!" I begged, turning serious. In a last, desperate attempt to change her mind, I shot her a playful smirk. She just rolled her eyes, though, obviously not amused.

"Your little smirk and good looks might be enough to sweep other girls off their feet, but it's going to take more than that to convince me."

"You don't get it, do you? You're the only one who can see me! I'm invisible to everyone else!" I shouted. "Wait a minute; did I hear you call me good looking?" I asked as an afterthought, my voice turning playful again.

"That's beside the point," she quickly brushed off my comment. "So what's this about invisibility?" she asked skeptically, clearly not buying it, but wanting to change the subject.

It was the perfect opportunity to buy myself some more time, so naturally, I jumped at the chance.

"Let me start at the beginning," I told her. I then explained everything about how I can't be seen, heard, or touched; what it means to be Jack Frost.

However, during my lengthy explanation, I carefully tiptoed around the fact that I was dead and failed to mention my immortality. It's always been a bit of a touchy subject, and I refuse to think about it because it always leads to one thing: the sister that I left behind.

Pushing these dangerous thoughts back out of my mind, I refocused my attention on Elsa, trying to read her face as she processed the new information.

"Okay," Elsa said after the long silence following my explanation, still a bit skeptical. "So then, why can I see you?"

"Well I guess that would be because you believe in me," I stated simply.

"What do you mean?" she asked, clearly confused.

"To the rest of the world, I'm just a legend; a made up legend. But if someone believes that I'm actually real, not just from a storybook, then I become real to them," I paused to make sure she's still listening, but then continued. "But, you see, that's never happened to me, at least not that I know of. So, I've never really had the chance to see if it was true."

Elsa stayed quiet for a long time, I guess trying to process everything I'd thrown at her.

At last she broke the silence, "So you're really Jack Frost? Is there anything else that I need to know about you?"

"It's possible that I can form snow and frost," I said, trying to sound casual as the words rushed out of mouth fast enough to render my attempt useless. "Oh, and I can fly," I added, keeping my eyes trained on her to catch her reaction.

Oddly enough, she didn't seem at all fazed by my confession. Instead, she laughed. I was not expecting this, maybe confusion or denial, but certainly not laughter.

When she caught enough breath to speak, she asked, "Can I see?"

No matter how much I tried, I could not figure this girl out. She couldn't accept that I was invisible, but throw in snow powers and flying, and all of a sudden it's amusing. _Maybe she just thinks I'm crazy._

I picked up my staff, which had been leaning against the icy walls, and hesitantly dragged it across her bedroom floor. Delicate frost formed on the ground as my staff passed over it. From there, it continued to spread until the whole room was covered in the swirls of ice.

I took a moment to admire my work. Even though it had been hundreds of years, I still couldn't contain my pride when seeing my creation. And I had to admit, this job was particularly well done. The frost was delicate, precise, and all together perfect.

I watched as Elsa took it all in, and then met my gaze. "Not bad," she said, as a smirk of her own crept up on her face.

"Not bad?! NOT BAD?! I just covered your room in frost with my own hands and all I get is a not bad?!" I yelled in mock defense, though actually slightly hurt by her words.

"Well technically you used your shepherding crook, not your bare hands," she told me pointedly while motioning to the staff in my hands.

"I'd like to see you try making frost with _your_ bare hands," I challenged, ending with a scoff.

She simply shrugged in response and broke my challenging stare. _That's what I thought._ But then she scanned the room, as if deciding how to prove me wrong, and settled on the ceiling. She raised her arms towards the peak; where all of the sides of the ceiling joined together to form the tip of her castle. At the flick of her wrist shards of ice began forming shapes out of the ceiling, continually growing closer to the ground.

When she dropped her arms back to her sides, I stepped back trying to figure out what she had created. I stood in complete awe, mouth hanging open and everything, as I realized it was a magnificent chandelier. My eyes darted from Elsa to the chandelier, wondering how she had done that with just her fingertips.

"I don't admit this often, but I do believe you've won," I tell her, still partially shocked by her abilities. I'm not sure why I was so surprised, though. After all, I was standing in an ice castle that she probably built with another simple flick of the wrist.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by her light chuckle floating through the air. As I watched her, I realized how truly beautiful she was. Her eyes sparkled with joy, and her lips were turned up in a smile.

She turned away from me, and walked towards her balcony. After pressing my palms together, I opened them to find a perfectly formed snowball. While Elsa wasn't looking, I threw it and the snow hit her square on the back.

She froze mid-step, and I almost thought she might scold me, but then she turned around with a devilish glint in her eye. Her hands made motions in the air, but it wasn't until I looked above my head that I found out what she was doing. Hanging just a few feet above me was a huge snowball, just waiting to be released.

Just as she was about to drop it, panic flashed through Elsa's eyes. Instead of burying me, the snowball simply popped, and glittery snowflakes rained around me, but disappeared before ever touching the ground.

When I looked back at Elsa, her eyes were watery and her lips were pressed into a firm line.

"No Jack, you have to leave. I can't do this again," Elsa pleaded weakly.

"Elsa, what's going on? Why do you keep pushing me out?" I asked softly.

At these words, a small sound escaped her lips and tears rushed to her eyes, threatening to escape. As an instinct, I rushed to her side. Unsure of whether she wanted my comfort, I ended up standing awkwardly next to her and sadly watching as a lone tear rolled down her cheek.

"Elsa, please tell me what's wrong. What did I do?" I asked as I knelt down next to her. Through teary eyes, she looked up at me. But instead of answering, she just leaned forward and buried her head into my neck. I hesitantly wrapped my arms around her shaking body, but eventually became more sure of myself.

I stroked her back with my thumbs, in what I hoped was a soothing action. Whether it was me, or time, she finally started to calm down.

"That's what Anna said," she choked out between sniffles.

"What?"

"That's what Anna, my sister, said to me. She told me that I always push her out," Elsa explained. After a moment, I realized she was referring to when I told her that she was pushing me out.

"Why don't you tell me what happened," I suggested in what I hope was a comforting voice, not really sure what else to do.

She opened her mouth as if she was about to spill out all of her secrets, but quickly closed it and pulled her lips into a tight line. I watched her closely as she took a deep breath, trying to collect herself, before straightened up and looked me firmly in the eye.

"I'm fine. It's nothing, really, I'm fine," she repeated as if trying to convince herself it was the truth, which it clearly wasn't.

"Elsa, you're not fine okay, and you don't have to pretend to be for my sake either."

"Your sake!" she scoffed at me. "You think I'm doing this for _your sake_?" But when she saw what I'm sure was my shocked expression, her face softened. "Look, Jack, I know you just told me your whole life story, but I'm not sure I can return the favor quite yet. I mean we just met!" she admitted with a little laugh at the end.

As I thought over her words, my eyes lit up with realization.

"Yet? As in a future?" I asked hopefully.

"Uh, I don't know, Jack. I really just need some time to think. I didn't just run away to the mountains for the fun of it," she said with a sad smile. After a slight pause, she then turned away and headed towards the door. It was only just as she was reaching for the door handle that I realized what was about to happen.

"Elsa! Wait!" I called, trying to think of any reason to make her stay. When my mind turned blank and she turned back towards the door, I began to panic. "No! Please don't leave; I can't live like this anymore!" I pleaded out of desperation. I had survived decades of being by myself, but now that I had a glimpse of being noticed, I couldn't just turn away and forget it never happened.

She huffed loudly, looking conflicted. I hoped she didn't want me to go either. Without another word Elsa glanced at me one last time, and then left me alone with my thoughts. _I can't believe she just left. We've both so lonely, and she just destroyed our one opportunity to end that. I should've known not to get my hopes up._

"So are you coming or not?" said a quiet voice that I had become familiar with. I looked up from where I was standing, and sure enough Elsa was watching me curiously from the doorway. I shot her a doubtful glance, and she raised her eyebrows at me like a challenge.

I put my hands up in mock surrender, and Elsa called, "Alright, just follow me."

I made sure to stay close behind Elsa, so as not to get lost in the maze of hallways. But after walking not even 20 feet, she came to an abrupt stop. I looked around, noticing we were standing in front of the door to the left of Elsa's room. She gestured for me to step inside. The room was also a bedroom, slightly smaller and less elegant than Elsa's. _Was it possible that she was offering me a room?_

I looked at her hopefully, waiting to see if my assumption was correct.

Choosing my words carefully I asked, "So what is this room for?"

"Well I was thinking that, uh, maybe you could use it," she said nervously while staring at her shoes. "For now at least," she added quickly, careful to avoid any commitment she wasn't ready for. When she looked up, I couldn't help but notice the warmth creeping up on her cheeks.

"I'm sure I could find a use for it," I replied casually, although my face told a completely different story.

I couldn't believe it. Here I was thinking Elsa was kicking me out, when really she was ensuring my stay. I loved watching kids laugh and play in my snow, I truly did. But this, this was a whole new kind of happy.

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 **A/N: Well I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Did you like it? I know it moved kind of fast and they're already living in the castle together, but it's not like they're in love or anything! I'm going to blame it on Elsa's kind heart and her instinct to try and protect people since Jack is so desperate to be seen. They're also both very lonely so it worked out!**

 **No promises on when the next chapter will be uploaded, but I will try to get it up as soon as possible. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: I actually updated in a reasonable amount of time! It's a pretty short chapter, but I really enjoyed writing it and I hope you like it! Thank you for all reviews, favorites, and follows- they really mean a lot! And, as always, let me know how I'm doing and if there's anything I could do better (which I'm sure there is).**

 **Anyways, enjoy chapter 3!**

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I woke up with the warmth of ice wrapped around me. Grinning to myself, I walked over to the window that took up nearly the whole wall. The sun was only barely reaching the horizon, but I've never been much of a sleeper.

Elsa was probably still fast asleep, but I wanted to check just in case. I slowly pushed the door open, praying it would be silent. Luckily the heavy ice glided over the floor without a sound. Just as I had when we first met, I poked my head through the door.

Curled up on the bed was a bundle of midnight blue sheets, slowly rising and falling. The only evidence that Elsa was hiding underneath was her blonde hair peeking out.

Even though for my whole life, or I guess death, all I had done was watch people, it still felt wrong to be in the doorway at that moment. Something about Elsa was different, and it wasn't just that she could see me, of that I was sure. I felt more normal around her, even though neither of us were even close to the definition. The things I did before, like watching, I no longer had to settle for. Suddenly, everything was different, and I still couldn't fully process it all.

Already growing uncomfortable of my own presence in her room, and newly reassured that she was real, I quickly returned to the room I could now call my own. It still seemed like a dream.

Making sure to note how to get back to my room, I decided to explore the castle. I wandered through the endless empty rooms and halls until I stumbled upon a grand kitchen.

Although I'd never used one, I've spent countless hours watching people cook. When I first woke up as Jack Frost, I spent every waking hour trying to get people to notice me. There was one home that I would visit every Sunday morning. They were a perfect family unit; I dreamed of having a family like that, and if I even had a family before I died.

Without fail, that family made chocolate chip pancakes every Sunday morning. I'd never tried myself, but I had watched them enough that I might be able to pull off the fluffy breakfast. After quite a few failed attempts, I eventually got the final result to resemble pancakes.

With the steaming breakfast in my hand, I made my way back upstairs. Stopping in front of her door I called, "Elsa, are you up yet?"

Just as I was about to knock again, the heavy doors flew open. In front of me stood a fully dressed Elsa with her hair pulled back into a tight bun. Once again her dress was very modest and concealing, however light lilac color replaced the usual blue.

After noticing the pancakes, her face broke out into toothy grin.

"Is that chocolate?" she asked in anticipation; like a child on Christmas morning.

"I guess you'll have to try it to find out."

She eagerly took a plate out of my other hand, and served herself two pancakes. I sat across from her, by the foot of her bed, watching as she tasted the pancakes. Her eager face quickly scrunched into a grimace with the first bite.

"Well, it's definitely chocolate," she choked out as she gagged slightly, "I'm not sure what the rest is though."

"Oh come on, it can't be that bad," I said while grabbing my own pancake. Over the years I've learned that, although I never get hungry, I can still eat food.

As I took a bite, it took all my will to swallow it without gagging.

"It's still edible," I replied weakly.

"Sure _technically_ you can eat it, but would you voluntarily take another bite?"

"Alright you got me there, but I've never actually cooked before so you've got to give me some credit," I admitted.

Although the pancakes were a complete failure, Elsa still managed to save the chocolate. I couldn't help but laugh as she carefully picked out the chocolate chips in a quite unladylike manner.

When she was finished eating the chocolate, we brought the dishes back into the kitchen to be washed.

With our arms swallowed up by soapy water, Elsa asked, "So you really have never cooked before?"

"I've never had any reason to," I answered truthfully.

"Well we're going to change that," she said simply. "I suppose since you obviously are clueless in the field of pancakes, we can start there."

We spent the rest of the morning cooking and eating. It was the most fun I'd had in a long time, and I can officially say I will never mistake salt for sugar again.

After cleaning up the huge mess, mostly because of me, we sat together chatting on the balcony. Sparkling snow glittered around us, unaffected by the humid summer afternoon.

Elsa fired another question, as we had been for the past half hour, "So, why don't you have any shoes?"

Her question puzzled me. Although not important, I had never really thought about or even questioned my lack of shoes.

"I don't know," I said slowly. "I can't remember a time that I ever had shoes."

"Well haven't you ever wanted shoes?"

"Not really," I answered simply. "It would be too unnatural if I tried them now."

"We'll see about that," she replied with a smirk.

Just as I was about to question what she meant, I felt a cold blast hit my right foot. I looked down just in time to see my toes before ice swallowed my entire foot. Within seconds, the ice began to melt. However, instead of becoming water, the ice turned into a midnight blue fabric with a rubber sole.

I glared at Elsa before reaching down to take off the shoe. Out of the corner of my eye, however, I saw her hand flick my way, tightening the laces and preventing me from removing my shoe.

"Elsa," I whined. "Take it off! I don't like it; it's too uncomfortable!" I stuck out my lower lip and shot her my pouty face.

"Oh don't be such a baby. Just try it, I promise you'll like it." As she was trying to convince me, I kept scooting away, trying to change her mind.

"C'mon Jack! I need you to keep still so I can do your left shoe!" At that I got up and walked to the edge of the balcony, turned around, and grinned at Elsa.

"You'll have to catch me first!" I said as I jumped off and into the wind.

As I was circling around the castle, I heard a faint voice yell, "That's not fair!" Ignoring it, I continued to fly around the castle, making sure to avoid the balcony.

Although I was amused, it still annoyed me that she was making me wear shoes. I was comfortable with bare feet, and she had no business telling me what to wear when all she has are her plain clothes.

After making my third circle around the mountain, I landed back on the balcony. Elsa's back was turned to me, but she was leaning over the railing playing with little heart shaped flurries. I cleared my throat to get her attention and she turned around, embarrassed.

"I have a proposition to make," I said in my best attempt at an English accent, deciding not to point out the blush that was currently paining Elsa's pale cheeks.

Elsa raised her eyebrows, questioning either my proposition or my accent, but replied in the same voice, "Do you now? And what would this proposition be?"

"Well, since you so dearly hate my bare footedness, I have decided to let you finish my left shoe. And not only that, but I will wear these awful shoes for a full twenty-four hours. But on one condition," I say with a dramatic pause. "You must give up those dreadful dresses and wear something like the first time I met you."

"Jack," Elsa whined, dragging out the 'a'. "Is this really necessary? They're just shoes!"

"And it's also just a dress!" I countered.

After much consideration, she groaned in defeat, "Fine."

I stuck out my left foot so she could complete the pair of shoes, and was greeted by the same icy blast.

"There, see they look wonderful!" she said proudly, although her eyes were trained on my face instead of my shoes.

"I did my part, now time for the dress!"

"I thought you might have forgotten," she huffed. But without another complaint, Elsa slipped into the bathroom, even though it wasn't necessary since she was only transfiguring her current one. Only a moment later, she returned with the same icy blue dress that she wore only a couple days ago. But it was like I had just seen Elsa for the first time; she was absolutely stunning.

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 **A/N: How did you like it? I know it was a pretty short chapter, but there was a natural pause there and I didn't want to drag it on just to make it longer. But get ready because the next chapter is going to have some action! I'll have it up as soon as I can. Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's note: Wow. I am so very sorry that it took me this long to update. I'm not really sure how time passed so fast, but it was an extremely busy year, and I could never find a good time to sit down and write. But don't worry! I haven't given up on this story yet! Once again, I give no guarantees about when the next chapter will be up, but I can promise that it won't be another year. I've started writing the next chapter, and I've figured out where I want this story to go! I also want to start writing some one-shots in both the Bitter Sacrifice universe, other Jelsa fics, and other worlds (but this story will still be my priority).**

 **Anyways, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, and I hope you all enjoy it! As always, leave a comment and tell me if you liked it and if you want me to change anything (it makes my day)!**

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I decided that I wanted to surprise Elsa. After everything that she had done for me, I needed to do something in return for her. I already had a plan, but it would require me to slip away for a few hours.

It only took me a matter of minutes before my new shoes touched down onto my lake. It was here that I first woke up as Jack Frost. I don't remember much else about this particular place, but it must have been significant in some way.

I took my time creating intricate swirls and patterns on the surface of the icy lake. When I was satisfied with my work, I moved on to the surrounding trees. Each time I touched my staff to a tree trunk, a burst of delicate frost erupted through the branches and to the tips of the trees until the entire coastline seemed to be painted in ice.

By the time I was surrounded by sparkling crystals, it was well into the afternoon. I hadn't realized how long I spent making sure everything was perfect.

Flying with the wind, I went through my plans for the evening. I would come back, and tell Elsa there was something I wanted her to see. Knowing her, it might take some convincing to get her to trust me, but it needed to be a surprise. We would fly together through the evening breeze. I could just imagine her blond hair swirling around her face and a light giggle floating through the air. And when we arrived, at least I hoped, she would be blown away. Then we would spend the perfect evening just talking and skating around the lake.

As the castle came into view, I awoke from my daydream. Like always, I landed on the balcony instead of using the door. As I wandered through the glimmering halls looking for Elsa, as my stiff shoes squeaked against the ice.

I finally found her figure pacing on the balcony that overlooks the foyer and the front door. _I didn't think I was gone for that long._

"I didn't know you missed me _that_ much," I teased, causing her to jump in surprise. But when she turned, revealing her distressed, tear stained face, I knew there was something else that was bothering her.

She had caught me by complete surprise, and I didn't know what to do or how to react.

"W-what happened?" I managed to stutter out, my voice catching in my throat.

"It was my sister," she admitted heavily. "Anna, sh-she found me."

"What do you mean," I asked slowly and cautiously.

"She just showed up! Then she tried to convince me to come back to Arendelle, which I obviously couldn't do," she exclaimed as if she couldn't believe it herself. "I didn't – I didn't know what to do; I had messed up so badly that there was no chance of fixing it. I had no choice but to tell her to leave. You have to understand, Jack! There was nothing else I could do!" she desperately tried to explain. "But then," she continued "there was something that Anna was hiding, a reason beyond sisterly love that drove her here." She took a deep breath, working up the courage to tell me whatever came next. "I, I froze Arendelle. They're stuck in an eternal winter," she admitted with a pitiful whimper.

Arendelle must have been the little frozen kingdom that brought me to Elsa. As memories from that day flooded my mind, a light chuckle escaped my lips. I immediately caught my mistake when Elsa nearly burst to tears at my laugh.

"No!" I yelled, trying to cover up my mistake, but immediately softening my voice, "I mean, no, it's not you or anything you did. It's just that I saw your little snow storm, well I guess it wasn't so little. But, anyways, yeah it was your storm that brought me to you," I explained in a rush, stumbling over my words, in an attempt to cover up my slipup.

When I looked back up at her, she had already turned away, gazing sadly at the massive doors. She seemed so far lost in her thoughts that I doubt she had listened to a thing I said.

"What have I done Jack?" she asked weakly. But I had no answer for her, at least nothing that would help the situation.

Suddenly, I remembered why I had missed the little reunion in the first place.

"C'mon, I have a surprise to for you, it'll take your mind off everything for a little while," I said softly.

Elsa finally tore her gaze away from the entrance to look at me. Her blue eyes, staring up at mine, looked dull and it was hard to miss the pain behind her teary glaze. Without a word, I held out my hand, which she hesitantly took.

As I gave her a reassuring squeeze, angry shouts and footsteps floated from outside. Her heavy braid whipped around and her eyes, once again, were glued to the door.

Sensing something was wrong, I began to lead her away from the commotion. As we were making our way upstairs, the doors burst open behind us. Two burly men in long, maroon coats stumbled in, searching for something. As I quickly sized them up, I was alarmed to find that they were each armed with a crossbow. Their expressions hardened when their eyes locked onto Elsa's face.

"Up there!" one of the soldiers shouted as they both began sprinting towards us. I yanked Elsa forward, but the long dress and heels I made her wear were certainly not the ideal escape outfit. I would have to apologize for that later.

We just needed to make it to her balcony. From there I could take over, and we could fly to safety. But they were only seconds behind us, and by the time we made it to her room, their crossbows were already trained on their target. There was no way we could escape without risking Elsa getting hurt.

"No! Please!" Elsa shouted, seemingly surprised by the weakness in her own voice. But they continued advancing, completely dismissing her plea. "Stay away," she reasoned in a voice much stronger than the moments before.

I stood next to Elsa, both of us getting ready to fight. As I was watching both men intently, I noticed one of them tightening their grip around the trigger. I dove forward as the arrow was released, but it flew straight through me and towards Elsa. My body crashed into the hard ice, sending shocks through my shoulder, but the thought of what I might see when I got up hurt far more.

Preparing myself for the worst, I forced my eyes open, but to my relief, I found Elsa breathing hard and in a defensive position. I couldn't help but be proud when I saw the arrow lodged into her sheet of ice. By the time she recovered from her unexpected survival, I noticed with a certain weariness how her eyes turned cold and her jaw set determinedly.

With one swift movement, she had one soldier pinned up against the wall with an icicle threatening to pierce his throat. Only a moment later the other was cornered onto the balcony that I had become so familiar with, a block of ice pressing him closer and closer to the edge.

"Elsa," I warned cautiously, unsure how to react to this new side of her. "Elsa!" I shouted sternly when she ignored me. I was about to pull her away completely before she did something that she'd regret when another group of soldiers burst in on the scene. I groaned inwardly; _this is not going to end well_.

The man that appeared to be the leader stepped forward. He had perfectly combed, chestnut hair and long sideburns that he somehow managed to pull off.

"Queen Elsa! Don't be the monster they fear you are," he spoke calmly, but firmly. _Queen?! I would definitely have to ask her about that…if we ever make it out of here safely._ But now was not the time, and I forced all other thoughts out of my head in order to focus on the scene before me.

When I saw that she still intent on blocking out everyone around her, I added "Elsa, he's right. This isn't you."

It was only then that I realized how little I actually knew about the supposed queen- I hadn't even known about her royal blood until that solider let something slip! It suddenly occurred to me that maybe this angry, vengeful woman before me _was_ the real Elsa and she had only been putting up a polite front, albeit a very convincing one. Memories of the countless screaming matches we'd already had flashed before my eyes, and I wondered if perhaps I'd been blind. Maybe I'd been so desperate for companionship that I automatically dismissed Elsa's uglier qualities.

Regardless, my plea had the desired effect and she softened, like she had woken up from a bad dream. It further reassured me of her character when she looked wildly around the room as the realization of what she was about to do sunk in.

I was too distracted to notice, with my mind both concerned about her and wary about the sudden character change, but the soldier pinned against the wall took advantage of her vulnerability and fired at her.

I still can't decide if this was a blessing or a curse, but the man I assumed leader jumped out just in time to knock the bow from its target. And as heroic as the act was, the arrow hit the magnificent chandelier that hung just above her trembling body instead. It was that same chandelier that she made to prove her superiority in our first hours together. Maybe if I hadn't been so cocky it never would have happened.

 **A/N: Ok, so I know this chapter's still a bit on the short side, but based on what I have so far, the next chapter will be much longer! I'll update this story as soon as possible (this time I actually mean it- it won't be another year XD)!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Back again!**

 **So for this chapter, and probably the next on, we're still in the Frozen universe and seeing how that story line plays out with Jack added to it. But pretty soon we're going to be branching out into new territory! I'm planning for the first 5-6 chapters (plus the prologue) to really set up the rest of the story with the majority happening after Frozen ends. Just a warning, there will probably be a bit of a time jump around that transition point so that we can really get the plot going because it's going to take forever (and probably be really boring to read) if I write each day of Jack and Elsa's lives.**

 **With that said, before this author's note gets ridiculously long, I hope you guys enjoy the new chapter! And as always, tell me what you think!**

 **UPDATE: I did just change my username but it's still me!**

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Whether it was preventable or not, her massive chandelier broke off the ceiling and shattered all around Elsa. She escaped the bulk of the crash, but her icy, lace cape didn't. It caught on the shards of ice before anyone noticed, and her head took most of the impact.

Even with my desperate attempts, she would not wake up. As I waited for the men to leave, I watched the seemingly caring leader transform into a cruel, heartless man. His previously inviting, green eyes chilled as if they were hit with one of Elsa's icy blasts.

"Tie her up," he commanded as he helped the two men out of Elsa's icy prison. I considered trying to free Elsa and carry her away to safety, but I would have no way to defend her considering these men certainly don't believe in me.

A horrible, helpless feeling overwhelmed my body. It created a bottomless pit in my stomach, intent on making me as uncomfortable as possible. The only thing I could do was wait. The only problem was, I had absolutely no idea what I was waiting for. Would I stick around until Elsa woke up? Until she escaped?

Then a dreaded possibility leaked into my mind. What if she woke up and didn't remember me or worse didn't believe in me? What if she never woke up at all? Even just the thought filled me with fear. I had only known Elsa for a few days, but I couldn't go back to the loneliness that was my whole world before she saw me. I shuddered at the memory of complete invisibility; being there, but not at the same time. And if this worst-case-scenario became reality, what would I do? Would I stay with her, and hope one day I would be seen? Or would I leave, and rip my heart out in hopes that the pain would be less in the long run?

I was startled out of my thoughts when Elsa's unconscious body was ripped from the floor and slug over the leader's shoulder like a potato sack.

"Prince Hans," _so that was his name,_ "what exactly do you plan to do with the Queen?" a skinny soldier asked hesitantly.

The man, Hans, watched the soldier closely, considering his answer closely, but eventually settling for, "We'll return her to Arendelle and try her for treason," he announced with an authoritative voice.

Something about the idea of a trial, probably headed by Hans, sparked the uneasy feeling in my stomach to return. He may be able to fool others with his charming personality, but I could see right through him. He is the kind of man who only cares about himself, and is willing to do anything to get what he wants. Just the thought of being accused because of my powers sent shivers down my spine.

For what seemed like hours, I watched as the group of soldiers made their way down to mountain to Arendelle. I'd never had a reason to hurry in my life, but as the minutes stretched on at a grueling rate, I wanted nothing more than this journey to be over. The whole time I kept my eyes focused on Elsa's limp body slung over one of the horses. I just needed her to be safe. I didn't know what I would do if something happened to her.

I mentally scolded myself for thinking such things. Sure I cared for her, but I only met her mere days ago. Developing feelings of any kind toward her would only hurt both of us in the long run. _She's human_ , I had to remind myself. That means someday she's going to grow old and die, and I'll be left alone again.

For the rest of the way back to the kingdom, I kept my eyes trained on the delicate blanket of snow covering the ground instead of her closed eyes; snow that _she_ made. After that, _don't get attached_ became my mantra and I directed my blank stare to the sky.

* * *

When we finally arrived at Arendelle's gates, the kingdom was in absolute chaos. There were small fires everywhere and several people pushing through the crowds handing out winter supplies. _I suppose they are missing their queen_ , I thought as I worriedly glanced at Elsa's still unconscious form.

A silence fell on the crowd as people began to spot Hans now tenderly carrying their queen into the palace. _If they only could have seen the real Hans back at the North Mountain._ I hoped someone would protest or question why their beloved queen returned to her kingdom draped across someone's arms. Maybe they would realize what Hans and his soldiers had done and get Elsa out of this mess. Instead, the people's silent stares followed Elsa's unconscious form as it was carried to what I assumed would be some sort of prison cell.

I prayed to the Man on the Moon that I would be wrong. Maybe I had misjudged Hans's character and he was taking her to nurse. But a small voice in the back of my head told me to not be foolish, and unfortunately for both me and Elsa, it was a voice that is rarely wrong. This situation was no exception.

As soon as Hans was out of the public eye, his grip on Elsa harshened and the ugly scowl that I had already learned to hate returned to his face. There was nothing else for me to do except follow him, so that is exactly what I did. I floated slightly behind Hans, making sure to stay close and keep an eye on Elsa's sleeping body. _That's right, she's just sleeping_ I tried to reassure myself.

I followed Hans through endless halls, and attempted to distract myself from the situation at hand by appreciating the royally decorated walls. _This is where Elsa grew up,_ I realized. It only made me wish I knew more about my own past.

As we passed through a hall full of what seemed like portraits, I took special notice of a few at the far end, one I recognized immediately as Elsa. It appeared to be the newest addition to the collection. She looked stunning as usual, this time in a floor length teal gown with long black sleeves. Behind her was draped a long, brightly colored cape. In her hands she carried two brass objects that I did not recognize. But it was only when I noticed the delicate crown placed on her perfectly styled hair that I realized it must have been her coronation. After a moment of taking in the painting, I realized her expression was slightly unsettling. Upon closer examination, I noticed a hint of fear in her usually sparkling eyes. _I wish she would just tell me what sparked that fear. Maybe I could help her._

Next to Elsa's portrait was a young, red headed girl with a huge grin plastered on her face. There were striking similarities between the girl and Elsa; maybe this was Elsa's sister that she cared so much about. My suspicions were confirmed when I read the plaque below the painting: _Princess Anna of Arendelle._ The joy that Anna clearly had for life nearly made my own lips turn up. Her smile was so carefree and genuine. I couldn't remember the last time I'd smiled like that; if I've ever even smiled like that at all. My gaze lingered on her portrait, soaking up all the happiness that was practically radiating from her face. But then I realized why I was seeing the portrait in the first place, who I was following, and what was ahead of us. Suddenly, Anna's joy seemed entirely wrong and out of place.

I turned my attention back ahead of me and stared daggers into Han's neck. More than anything, I wished he would burst into flames, although fire isn't exactly my specialty. Something about the way he carried himself made me uneasy. Just from the way he walked, it was if he thought he were better than everyone else in the room.

But before I followed Hans completely out of the hall, there was one more portrait that caught my eye. Despite the black curtain draped over the painting, I was able to tell almost immediately that the portrait was of Elsa's parents. Other than her light hair, Elsa looked nearly identical to her mother; she had the same bright eyes and warm smile. The implications of the black curtain made me uneasy, but it certainly explained a lot. _Maybe it was the curtain that turned that warm smile into Elsa's signature tight frown._

I wanted nothing more than to stay in the portrait room, looking for any possible clues to Elsa's mysterious past. If given the chance, I could have easily spent hours in that room, but as Hans swiftly rounded the next corner, I had to tear myself away from the captivating portraits to keep up with his purposeful strides.

Not long after leaving the haunting and intriguing company of Arendelle's royal portraits, I found my nose buried into Han's skull. Clearly I was so lost in thought that I hadn't realized he had already stopped in front of sturdy door hidden deep within the castle. For once I was actually glad that I could float straight through people. As I took a step back I noticed, with a certain satisfaction, a shudder roll through Hans's shoulders; no doubt feeling the consequences of my touch.

After recovering from his unexpected chills, Hans shifted Elsa's weight in his arms before tossing her aside to reach for the key conveniently hanging next to the door. If he had payed closer attention, he would have noticed that Elsa's body didn't hit the floor with the expected thud. Instead, her fall was cut short only inches from the ground, and carefully lowered down by my invisible arms.

In this one moment of peace after so much chaos, it was hard not to notice Elsa's beauty, despite her unusually pale skin and closed eyes. I couldn't help but make note of how perfectly she fit in my arms. I could get used to that feeling. _No, I can't. Don't get too attached._ So instead of cherishing the feeling, I gently set Elsa on the ground, scolding myself for being so foolish and forcing myself to stare ahead of me instead.

My head whipped up when I heard the heavy door being forced open with a grunt. Hans's steely eyes glared down at Elsa, and I involuntarily gulped, wondering how much hatred could be channeled towards such an innocent girl.

Suddenly, he reached down and roughly grabbed Elsa's wrists. Obviously not caring at all for her wellbeing, Hans pulled her through the threshold of what I could now confirm as a cell. He made quick work of caging Elsa's delicate hands in strong iron cuffs, destroying any freedom that she might have had. I followed the chains that held Elsa's hands and found they were bolted to the floor in front of a small, uncomfortable bed.

Before I realized what was going on, Hans swiftly fled the room and slammed the door behind him. When I heard the bolt slide into place, panic replaced the dread that had previously consumed me. _Shit_. Instead of saving the day and rescuing Elsa from her prison cell, I was now trapped alongside her. If it hadn't been me, I would have laughed at the situation. _How could I have let this happen?!_

Looking at Elsa's body still strewn across the cold floor, I couldn't help but feel like I had failed her somehow. I was flooded with guilt as I realized this was almost completely my fault. If I hadn't pressured her to wear that dress, she would never have gotten caught under the shattered chandelier. Hell, if I hadn't shown up, she would never have made that chandelier in the first place. And I should have done _something_! I had more than enough opportunity! But instead, I spent hours just watching and following as they took Elsa and locked her up in the dungeon of her own castle.

In an attempt to _something_ right, I carefully lifted Elsa off of the dirty floor, wanting nothing more than to see her icy blue eyes flutter open. I knew it was wishful thinking the second it surfaced in my thoughts, but at this point, all I could do was hope.

Trying to be mindful of the chains that marked her as a prisoner, I lightly set her on the bed that was tucked away in the corner. Upon further investigation, I found a thin blanket folded up underneath the bed. Even though I was certain that she didn't mind the cold, I still draped it across her still body; hoping, against all odds, that she was comfortable.

After making sure Elsa was settled, I perched myself on the small windowsill and gazed longingly at the open air. What I would give to feel the familiar breeze swirling around me as I flew to my next destination. It was the first time in a long time that I was worried and completely uncertain what was going to happen next.


End file.
